Ron Gallo Seeks Himself in New Single/Video "Always Elsewhere"

In which the garage-punk rocker goes on a very literal journey of self-discovery

Arty garage-punk raconteur Ron Gallo has shared the second single from his forthcoming album Stardust Birthday Party, out Oct. 5 via New West. “Always Elsewhere” is an oddball odyssey of self-discovery: “Talking, talking / Never listening,” Gallo sings over post-punk guitar chromatics.”Always elsewhere / searching, searching.” In the song’s bridge, he launches into a verbose, new-age spiritual tirade, proclaiming that the meaning of life “is just to be alive.”

The songs on Stardust Birthday Party emerged from a period of soul-searching for Gallo. He describes the album as a “spiritual 180” from his debut, HEAVY META. In early 2018, following the hectic dissolution of a relationship, he booked a trip to California for a silent meditation retreat, where he found a path towards inner enlightenment. The album “is about human evolution,” Gallo said. “Specifically, one humans evolution: mine, Ron Gallo … It’s me dancing while destroying the person I thought I was, and hopefully forever.”

The video for “Always Elsewhere” makes his journey of self-discovery literal. It revolves around Gallo walking across the country and through various surreal set-pieces with a box labeled “SELF,” and features the sort of artfully odd imagery one would expect from him.

Gallo will be touring in support of Stardust Birthday Party for the rest of the year. Watch the video for “Always Elsewhere” and footage from Gallo’s 2017 Paste Studio session below, and find his tour dates further down. You can revisit previous Stardust Birthday Party single “It’s All Gonna Be OK” right here.